[ctulek]

This is a very poorly written article, if not poorly done science. (See Criticism section of https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Twenge)

Showing two graphs with opposite directions and claiming one is the cause of the other is not how one should present their claims.

It could be just the case that because of some other reason(s) teens spend less face-to-face time with their friends, and they spend more time on social media.

Beside, the second graph already shows high loneliness rates in 80s, too. Is this also because of social media which did not exist in 80s?

There can be so many other reasons for teens to feel depressed: economy, global warming, the increasing gap between rich and poor, mortgage crisis, and now student debt crisis, so on and on.

Please do not divert our attention to wrong reasons, or please make sure that you are really on top of your game.